In The Beginning
by AlicexAsylum
Summary: We all remember Lara as a gun-toting, tough as nails adventurer who saves the world day by day- but what happened in all those lost years of her life that lead her to becoming who she is? A hidden side of young Lara Croft will unravel.
1. Prologue

_**IN THE BEGINNING**_

* * *

**Prologue**

_It all happened so fast._

_Lara couldn't understand what had taken place. It just did. One moment, she was soaring high in the sky, safe in the arms of her mother, and the next, she was plummeting down to Earth in a blur of fire and darkness. They were the only ones left- the others had perished in the destruction of their flight._

_Lara shivered as her mother wrapped an arm over her shoulders. She looked up at her angelic face- her features were sharp, but soft and serene at the same time. Dark brunette hair, almost black, tied back up into a neat bun, with the exception of a few stray strands that had fallen out, hanging over the curves of her high, defined cheekbones. Her eyes were narrow and an chocolaty-amber shade. Everything about her was a foreshadow of Lara's appearance- the only difference was Lara's lighter shade of auburn-brown locks. But her long, black lashes were damp with tears._

_"Mother, w-where are we?" Lara whimpered. She had never experienced anything like this before. She was barely eight years of age._

_Amelia looked down into her daughter's blurry eyes. She reached down with her other hand and tenderly stroke her cheek. "We're in a safe place now, darling. Don't worry, we'll get back home soon." She spoke gently and soothingly. Of all things she needed now, was to be strong for her young one._

_Lara looked at the stony ground and rested her head on her mother's chest. They sat in a small, cave-like corridor, in which they had taken refuge from the wreck in the frosty cold outside._

_After a few more minutes, Amelia tapped Lara softly on her shoulder. She huddled closer to her side, her skin paler than ever. She seemed so exhausted, and even worse, freezing. Both of them were._

_"Lara, why don't we go find something to start a fire? You're shaking like a leaf." Amelia whispered. Lara glanced up at her again with big, youthful eyes, and then nodded silently._

_They both wandered about the area, and slowly moved deeper into the rocky temple. Lara, without either of them realizing it, strayed farther and farther away by the minute._

_And then she came to a halt. Lara took in a silent gasp as she walked into a vast room, with strange, glowing stone structures in a circular form at the core of the room. There were patterns engraved into the floor- all going just to the rim of the circle. She rested her hand on one of the structures- and immediately pulled back when it flashed a green light. She looked up at the top, where the glow had come from. It was no longer there. Lara continued to creep forward in curiosity, and she took interest of the small, stone dais sitting in the center of the formation. There was...something, she wasn't sure what, that was set into the slot._

_What's this...? Lara pondered to herself, looking over the dais when she came within a foot of it. A minute passed, and she timidly reached out a small, cold hand._

_"Lara, have you found anything for the fire?" Amelia's voice called from the corridor leading into the room. Lara withdrew her hand instinctively, looking back at the area where her mother's voice emanated. She was nowhere in sight. Lara turned back slowly to the dais, and drew her hand once more._

_The object made a loud, strident snap as it set itself further into the stone pedestal. Lara stepped back in fright, and was caught by surprise when her mother grabbed her by the shoulders from behind._

_"Lara, what are you-" Her mother looked away from her and up at the dais. The rim of the circular pattern on the floor detached itself from the ground and raised up behind the stone. It sat there on its side, until a peculiar emerald glow radiated in its center. Amelia's eyes widened in fear as she pulled Lara out of the circle. "No, get back!" She told hastily to her daughter. "Good Lord, what is it?"_

_Lara pointed at the immense, glowing ring. "There's something in the light."_

_"Stay here." Amelia gestured for Lara to stay put as she cautiously stepped to the center. Voices emitted from the glow in a hazy, echoing sound. "What...who are you?"_

_Lara stood behind, watching her mother intently. She looked back between her and the frightening phenomenon._

_"What...what about my daughter?" Amelia stole a glimpse at Lara, who only continued to stare in shock. She turned back demandingly. "You stay away from her. She meant no harm!"_

_Amelia strained to hear what the muffled words ringing from the device were saying. The only word that she could make out was...sword. The sword that was set in the stone._

_"What's happening, mother?" Lara called out, seeing her mother frantically looking back and forth between the dais and the light."Who's there!?" She felt her small, fragile heart thud promptly in her chest. The voices got louder- now Lara could just barely make out what they were saying. But she didn't understand- she didn't want to._

_Amelia's mind spun fast in her own head, as the voices' volume increased, angrier and angrier in their demands._

_"Oh, God, no!" Amelia reached down to the handle and pulled out the sword. She held it there for a moment, her eyes barely allowing to see her daughter through the brightest glow she'd ever seen._

_Lara retreated and put her arms up in front of her eyes to block the blinding explosion. It was more than just a light- it felt like energy pulsing toward and around her, almost pulling her in. But the energy faded, and finally, it was gone. And so was Amelia._

_"Mother?" Lara said at last, her voice small and frail. She released her arms, and took a deep breath as she stepped back into the now-dim circle. Her eyes began to burn as she screamed, her tone pleading, out into the echoing, lonely room._

_"Mother!"_

_And so Lara stood. In the dark, haunted room. The place where she had witnessed death, for the very first time._

_Alone._


	2. No Explanations

**No Explanations**

I was outraged. Completely, utterly, and undoubtedly, _outraged_.

My father was adamant about me not coming along for his trip to Cairo. I didn't understand why- he had not a single logical reason to be making me stay at the Manor. It simply wasn't fair. Sure, I know that I've gone on almost every other journey with him- but why exclude me from this one in particular? Even after begging and pleading for days on end, he just wouldn't give in. I wondered what made him so demanding about the whole affair in the first place.

So, I sat there, pondering out my anger in the warm and soothing atmosphere of my bedroom. It looked just as it always had- spacious, vast, and extravagant. Antique decorations and relics from my father were finely sprawled out around the living area, leading into the open threshold of my similar bed chamber. The colours were mostly neutral- faded hues of brown, green, wine red, and silver. And, of course, one of my favourite parts of my room, was the walk-in wardrobe, its walls adorned with wooden engravings. I _could_ sit in there for hours, marveling over the beauty. But I'm not, and never will be, that kind of girl. The girl who sits around all ladylike, making proper critiques over every little piece of art she sees. No matter how hard anyone tried. I would _never_ be that girl.

I hopped up from my bed and shuffled about the mess of clothing that I had piled up on the nearby loveseat.

"Mmm…" I murmured to myself as I threw numerous shirts and other clothes aside. "Where is it, where is it…?" Finally, I came across a pair of stonewashed denim shorts. "Aha. Found you." I announced gleefully. I slid off my dark gray sweats and replaced them with the shorts. I stepped mindlessly in front of the mirror, fixing the plain black, form-fitting t-shirt I wore on my torso, and loosely re-braiding the long brown plait that hung limply over my shoulder. My whole attire wasn't anywhere near to what regular aristocrats would find appropriate- but it was the best a 16-year-old lass like me could conjure on a sunny day in Surrey, England. I was about to leave the room, when I realized, I was still barefooted. Gosh. How forgetful I could be sometimes. I grabbed my worn-out hiking boots and slipped them on as I nearly tripped out the door.

I grinned happily, jumping off at the third to last step of the stairs. Our faithful butler, Winston, returned a smile as I walked into the main hall. It smelled fresh and clean, as if someone had left open the front doors to let in the summery breeze outside.

"Good morning, Lady Croft." Winston greeted me. I sighed, remembering how much I hated people calling me 'lady', but I kept my smile cheery- it didn't bother me as much when he was the one who called me by the formal title.

"Morning, Jeeves." I replied, calling him by his infamous nickname. I'd known him as Jeeves ever since I was a young girl. Although I never remembered where the name came from in the start, I always used it because it held me close to my carefree childhood, of which I was gradually growing out of.

Winston let out a chuckle. I joined him. I always felt so comforted by his welcoming presence- he had a lot of character, and he wasn't ashamed to let it show. Even with the fact of the graying hair on his head, a sure sign of his growing old age, he always kept a lighthearted personality. That's why he was like a grandfather to me- I could talk to him about anything. And I did.

I took a moment to briefly scan the massive foyer with my eyes, then turned back to Winston. "Have you seen my father by any chance?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't. I don't recall him being at the Manor since late afternoon yesterday." He replied after a second of thought. I bit my lip in wonder. I didn't fail to notice that my father had been staying out of the Manor more often for some kind of business matters. But it wasn't anything new- ever since a few years before, he'd been doing nothing but drowning himself in studies and work. He would come home late when he wasn't on his excavation trips, and then lock himself up in the library just to do more work. My father was a good man, no, a great man, but nowadays he's been straying farther and farther away. I still couldn't figure out what was occupying his mind all the time.

I sighed deeply, then turned on my heels for the door to the right of the entrance.

"And where are you going, may I ask?" Winston stopped me before I reached for the handle.

"Nowhere. Just going for a stroll around the back." I said plainly, without looking back.

"Well, then, be sure to stay safe- and don't be trying any of your stunts now, Lara."

I held back a smirk as I pulled the heavy door open. It clamp shut behind me as I descended down a short flight of stairs and down a few stone halls. Eventually it led out into the backyard grounds. It was beautifully green, illuminated by the morning sun, and just as stunning as the Manor's interior. Large, artistic structures and fountains, long pathways, a multiple vehicle garage, and even a stable. And, the very best part, a colossal, intricate hedge maze that winded down to another large fountain formation at its core. I'd gotten lost so many times before- yet my father was the one who had mastered it completely. Not a single time in my memory have I seen him get confused the slightest bit- he was unfazed by the complexity of the labyrinth, and he always got to the center within minutes. I admit, I always wondered if he'd drawn some kind of map, and hid it somewhere, but even after years of me trying to find such a thing, I had failed. I suppose he truly was just that much of a genius.

I strolled down the path that led to the fountain before the maze. Then, I stopped, and changed my detour off to the left side, gradually leading to the low stone wall that lead to the outskirts of the property, into the small circle of woods and back out towards the city. I finally reached the wall, and, taking a quick scan behind me, climbed up onto the top, and hopped down. I smiled, feeling the adventure of going back into the nearby forest again. I'd do this almost every morning- wake up, get ready for the day, and start it off not by having a serving of tea and biscuits, but spending an hour or two in the calm, safe wilderness just outside the Manor. I hated being cooped up inside. I mean, why spend all your life in a boring, sophisticated home when you have the gift of nature and opportunity of adventure just outside the door?

I started running at a moderate pace, taking in the feel of meek wind and sun on my skin. In moments I was surrounded by tall, green trees, and after a minute or two, I came to a halt and collapsed on the soft grass. The canopy of trees above me had scattered places where the light beamed through.

After only ten to fifteen minutes of me enjoying the morning, I heard, through the small, thin bits of forest around me, the engine of a vehicle going towards the driveway of the Manor. I got up, and made my way back towards the opening of the woods.

There was a car in the lot at the front of the mansion, and I was sure that it wasn't one of ours. I, notorious for being sneaky when my curiosity got to me, went over to the nearest side of the home and kneeled behind it to watch.

The first to get out of the vehicle was my father. I was just about ready to come out from my hiding place in relief, but seized in my actions as I saw another person step out of the other side of the car. It was a woman, and though I couldn't see her face, I clearly saw that she had long, blonde hair that hung straight down her back. She and my father seemed to be in conversation, and with the movements of her hands, I could see that her skin was extremely pale, and her fingers were long and thin. She sported a black blazer and matching business pants. Altogether, even from just where I was kneeling, she appeared to be a frightening figure.

They talked for a moment more, and, with his hands folded neatly behind his back, my father bid the woman goodbye as she and the vehicle pulled out from the driveway and left the property. I sprung up from my spot and approached my father in the lot.

"Who was that?" I asked loudly from behind him. Though he hadn't even glimpsed my way, I already knew that he'd seen me. Finally he turned around to face me for a moment, his hands still behind him, and then he walked casually to the entrance of the Manor.

"Excuse me? I asked you a question. Who _is_ she?" I repeated myself.

"A business partner, Lara. It's none of your concern." He said seriously whilst opening the double doors and stepping into the foyer. Winston was still there, ready to attend to us. My father took off his light jacket and handed it to him.

"Thank you, Winston." He said warmly.

"Your very welcome, Lord Croft." Winston smiled and departed to get some tea. I hated it when my questions were ignored like that.

"Well, if it's about your 'project', then it certainly is my concern, now isn't it?" I continued to pursue him. He didn't show any change in tone, but I could tell that he had a lot on his mind.

He exhaled deeply. "No, Lara, it isn't. Finding your mother isn't any of your business." He paused, and his voice became hushed. "Not yet."

I stared at him, confused by what he meant. "This is absurd. How do you even know she's alive?"

"We've been over this so many times already-"

"And yet you_ still_ have no explanation for any of it."

My father gave me a warning look. He was stressed enough already, I could tell. He didn't need me nagging him on top of everything else. But I just didn't get why he kept doing this to himself- searching for something that wasn't even there. I took in a sharp breath, tightening my jaw, and turned to start towards the kitchen, without saying another word. _Hmph_, I thought ignorantly. _What a lovely way to start off my day_.


End file.
